Gas-engine.



No. 640.21.93. Patented Jan. 2, |900.

. G. W. LEWIS.

GAS ENGINE.

(Application fled June 21, 1899.)

(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet l.

No. MELEQS. Patented lan. 2, |900. W. LEWIS.

GAS ENGINE.

(Application med June 21', 1899.)

3 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

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No. MUQB. Patented Jan. 2, I90. G. W. LEWIS.

(MS ENGINE.

(Application filed June 21, 1899.)

(IPM Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 3.

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GEORGE lll. lhEiVlS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE J.THOMPSON d'. SONS MANU ViVlSGONSN.

FAOTURING COMPANY, OF BELOIT,

GASwENGlNE.

SEECFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 640,393, dated January2, 1900.

Original application tiled November 8, 1894. Renewed September 22, 189.Serial No. 691,629. Divided and this application iled .Tune 21,1899.Serial .To all roh/ont it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, GEORGE W. LEWIS, of the city of Philadelphia, countyof Philadelphia, and Siate of Pennsylvania, formerly of Chicago, in thecounty of Cook and State of illinois, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Gas-Engines, (Oase Bg) and 1 do hereby declarethat the following is a full, clear, and exact descriptionthereof,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to theletters of reference marked thereon, which forni a part of thisspecification.

This invention relates to improvements in gas or vapor engines, and hasfor a primary object to provide a practicahsimple, and otherwiseadvantageous construction in a singleacting engine adapted 'to give animpulse at every round.

The invention consists in the matters hereinafter set forth, and moreparticularly pointed out in the appended claim.

1n the drawings, Figures l and 2 are side elevations showing oppositesides of a vertical form of engine provided with my invention. Fig. isavertical section of the engine shown in Figs. Il and 2 in the axis ofthe bearing of the crank-shaft, said crank-shaft, the fly-wheels, andthe pulley thereon being shown in elevation. Fig. 4 is an enlarged axialsection of the power end of the cylinder in the same plane as the partsshown in Fig. Fig. 5 is ahorizontal section in the plane ot line 5 5 ofFig. l. Fig. b' is a longitudinal section of the power-cylinder, showingby a series of arrows the direction taken by the inflammable mixturewhen admitted to the upper end of said cylinder. f

As shown in said drawings, A designates the frame supporting the variousparts of the engine.

B designates a centrally-cranked powershaft, mounted in bearings b onsaid frame and carrying' a driving-pulley B and iiywheels B2 B2.

O O are guides `for a crosshead l), said guides being secured to theframe, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 and full lines in Fig. 8, orotherwise, as may be preferred.

E is a pitman connecting the cross-head D with the crank il?J on theshaft B.

No= 721,376. (No model.)

F is a cylinder, of which F is the power end, and F2 the pump end. Saidcylinder F is closed by heads ff at both ends, the heads f, closing thepump end ot the cylinder, being provided with a stufiing-box, throughwhich works the piston-rod f2, connected, respectively, to thecross-head D and to the piston or plunger F3.

G is a carbureter, which in some form will be employed when the engineis intended to use the vapor of a liquid hydrocarbon with air as theexplosive mixture.

g is an inlet-pipe havinga straight portion which passes through theupper head of the chamber for the liquid hydrocarbon and has its lowerend perforated at its sides, as indicated by dotted lines in Fig. 2. Thesaid pipe G is shown as being vertically adjustable within thecarbureting-chamber.

G is a supply-tank, G2 being a pump operated conveniently by aperipheral cam on the main shaft B, as indicated in Fig. l, andconnected with the supply-tank G by a pipe g' and with the carburetor bya pipe g2. An overflow -pipe leading from the carburetor back to thesupply-tank is shown at g3, said overflow-pipe being indicated as havingits opening within the carbureter at a suitable distance above thebottom of the latter to give the desired or predetermined level to theliquid within said carburetor.

Il is a valve for admitting the explosive mixture into the cylinder,said valve, as herein shown, opening directly from the carbureter intothe valve chamber or chest H',which communicates with the cylinder. Thenother gas than hydrocarbon vapor is used, this valve H may similarlyadmit the mixture of gas which is delivered to it in any suitablemanner.

The cylinder F is connected with the chamber F4, which as a separateimprovement is shown as boing external to and concentric with thecylinder proper or as transverse externally to its lower portion only,said chamber F4 beingin communication with the lower end of the exteriorend of the cylinder proper by one or more wide passages f3, and also incommunication with the valve-chamber 1I through one or more passages 7i.The chamber F'l is also in communication with. the

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power end F of the cylinder F when the piston F3 is at or near theextreme end of its power throw, which is the downstroke. The piston F3is shown as being of trunk form in order that the communicatingspaces,consist ing of a space directly below the piston and the outerspace F4,may be as large as possible in proportion to the space behindthe piston after the power-stroke has been completed within the leastpractical limits, the relative proportions of these spaces in the engineshown beingaboutfour to one. In otherwords, the space within thecylinder and below the piston when the latter is elevated or at the endof its compression-stroke, plus the space F4, is about four times thecontents of the space behind the piston when the latter has completedits down or power stroke.

Advantages are gained by the construction in which the chamber F4 ismade of annular form and surrounds the cylinder from the port f3 to theport f4, the principal one being that in this construction immediatecommunication is afforded between the said chamber and the power end ofthe cylinder by the portfs, extending through the thickness of thecylinder-wall only, so that the compressed air may expand directly fromthe chamber into the cylinder. The entrance of air is thus made muchmore prompt andthe speed of the engine correspondingly more rapid thanin the construction in which the air is located at adistance from thepower-cylinder, so that the air must be forced through a long passage inpassing from the air-chamber to the said cylinder.

The piston F 3 covers the passages f4 except when the said piston is atand near the end of its power-stroke, as fully indicated in Figs. 3, 4,and 6. The piston is provided with a recess f5, as best seen in Figs. 4,5, and 6, which recess is arranged to come opposite the inlet-ports f4when the cylinder is at the end of its power-stroke, as also indicatedin Figs. 4 and 6, said recess having its rear wall AG abrupt, so as todeflect the incoming mixture of gas and air toward the power-head of thecylinder,as indicated in Fig. 6. The exhaustports f7 of the cylinder arearranged at right angles to the inlet-ports f4, as plainly shown inFigs. 4C, 5, and 6, instead of opposite said inlet-ports, as heretofore.By this means the escape of the explosive mixture admitted by theinlet-ports is prevented, said mixture being forced toward the adjacenthead of the cylinder and gradually filling the power end of the cylinderfrom that end toward the piston in the gradual opening of saidinlet-ports, as seen in Fig. 6, and forcing the dead gases out throughthe exhaust-ports f7 without a material escape of the live mixture, saideconomy in this particular being attained by the rectangular arrangementof the inlet and exhaust ports shown and described.

In the integral cast construction shown I have provided an opening f8through the outer wall of the external chamber F4, which is ordinarilyclosed by a cap fg, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5, said opening serving inthe original construction to permit the drilling of the ports f4 and theremoval of the cap fg, giving access to said ports f4 for the purpose ofinspecting and clearing them.

G3 designates a stop-cock in the pipe for the supply of gas or mixtureto the lower compartment of the valve-chest I-I/J which stopcock mayobviously be more or less remote from the engine, according to theparticular arrangement of the source of supply of the mixture.

It will be observed that in the construction above set forth but asingle valve is employed in the entire engine-to wit, the supply-valveH. It will also be observed that this valve is remote from the heatedend of the power-cylinder and is isolated from the parts connected withthe power-cylinder by the interposed chamber F4, to which the cooledmixture is supplied on its way to the power end of the cylinder.

The supply-valve H is operable at each rotation of the crank-shaft B,but may be controlled as to the length of its opening stroke, andtherefore as to the amount of mixture supplied through the same, by anysuitable form of controlling mechanism. The valve is opened by suction,or, in other words, upon the back stroke of the piston F3, in whichstroke the explosive mixture passes from the outer chamber F, throughthe port f3, into the space directly below the piston and from thecarbureter or other source of supply to the valve H into the said outerchamber F4, the said valve I-I being of course lifted off its seat inthis operation by the superior atinospheric pressure beneath it.

In the construction shown in the drawings the extent of the openingmovement on the part of the valve II is shown as controlled by acentrifugal governing mechanism, which is like that shown and describedin my prior application for United States Letters Patent, Serial No.691,629, renewed September 22, 1898, and of which this is a divisionalapplication. Such governing mechanism consists of a wedge-shaped gage I,which is connected with the vertical arm vl, pivoted at fi', near itslower end, and which arm is bifurcated at its lower end and pivoted at 2to a collar I on the main shaft. Between this collar I and the hub ofthe fly-wheel B2 is inserted a second collar I2, having one of its edgesinclined, as shown at t3, in conformity to the contiguous end of thewheel-hub, and with this interposed beveled or inclined collar I2 isconnected a lever J, of a familiar form of centrifugal governor. Thestem h of the valve I-I extends through the wall of the valvechest belowthe gage I and is provided with a nut h', which strikes the lower edgeof said gage when the valve is lifted. The farther outward the gage I isthrown the less dis- IIO rio

tance therefore to which the valve lil will be lifted, and as thegreater outward throw of said gage will result from the higher speed ofthe engine (through the operation of the centrifugal governor) thehigher the speed of the engine the less opening of the supplyvalve lland the less explosive mixture will be supplied to the engine.

` r1`he electric mechanism for producing the spark in the power end ofthe cylinder for igniting the inflammable gas is of that hind shown anddescribed in an application for United States Letters Patent iiledsimultaneously herewith, Serial No. 721,375, and which is also adivision of the said renewal application, Serial No. 691,629, abovementioned.

As herein shown, K is a disk on the crankshaft B, and alaterally-projecting contact or cam thereon. 7U" legare electrodes, ofwhich the former bears continuously against the even side of the dish,and the latter is in position to be strucl; by said projection 7a ateach revolution of the crankshaft. loi designates an electrode whichpasses through insulating material 7e3, contained in the tube 7a4,inserted into the power end of the cylinder, said electrode protrudinginto the interior of the cylinder, as shown in Fig. i. l' is a lever inthe power end of the cylinder pivoted between its ends 'to vibratetoward and from the adjacent end of the cylindeigthe longer arm beingarranged to strike the inner end of the electrode 7J', in contact withwhich it is norniallyheld bya spring 71:6. 'rlis a stud on the pistonarranged to strike the short end of the lever K as the piston approachesthe end of its compression-stroke. The electrode 7a' is connected withthe upper end of the cylinder, as shown at L8, Figs. 3 and -l-, and theelectrode 7# is connected with the outer end of the elect-rode 7J", asshown in Fig. In the circuit is shown a battery L or other source ofsupply of electricity. The operation of said sparking mechanism is. likethat shown in my application above referred to and need not be describedhere.

When it is desired to start the engine, gas may be pumped into the powerend of the cylinder either by a suitable pumping device or by rotationby hand of the main crankshaft of the engine when the engine is so smallas to permit.

M designates a pin which passes freely through the head f of thecylinder and is provided at its inner end with an enlargement fitted toa countersink in the inner surface of said head j' and serving as avalve to close the space around the freelynnovable pin, said valve beingnormally held toits seat by means of a spring m, arranged external tothe cylinderhead f about the pin and between the cylinder-head and aknob on the outer end of the pin. rlhis pin Mis adapted to be pushedagainst the long arm of the lever K', so that by this means the operatormay break the circuit and produce a spark by hand.

N designates a plug tted to an opening arranged opposite the sparkingdevices in the power end of the cylinder F, by which from time to timethese parts may be inspected without removal of the cylinder-head. O isa valved oil-pipe leading from the lower end of the cylinder F.

It will be understood that the essential features of the foregoingimprovements in the construction of the engine described may be appliedto a horizontal type of engine-such, for instance, as shown in my saidprior application, Serial No. (591,629. I do not wish, therefore, to berestricted to the precise details herein shown.

l claim as my inventionln a single-acting engine, a cylinder and piston,said cylinder having a medial lateral inletport which is uncovered bythe piston when near the end of its power-stroke, and also having amedial exhaust-port situated at or about ninety degrees of thecircumference of the cylinder from the inlet-port, said exhaust-portbeing also uncovered by the piston on its approach to the end of itspowerstroke, but before the uncovering of the inlet-port.

1n testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention l ailix mysignature, in presence of two witnesses, the 1st da-y of June, A. D.1899.

GEORGE lV. LEWIS.

Witnesses:

II. F. Reni-mon, F. E. Bncn'ronn.

